What's so hard about believing survivors?

[lightningandsnow]

Has anyone but me noticed that when any sexual assault case comes up, unless it's of the extreme (survivor was a child and/or sustained serious physical injury) sort, people here automatically assume it's a set up, or being fabricated? Especially when it's a public figure being accused of it. *cough cough*

I always believe the survivor, because rape cases are notoriously hard to get a conviction for, and most are never reported. It's much more likely that a sexual assault case will go unreported than someone will falsely accuse someone else. In fact, I forget where I heard this, but the rate of false accusations of sexual assault is the same as for other crimes.

I honestly find it really hard to read these threads, because I have two friends who were sexually assaulted and never reported it because they knew they wouldn't be believed. One was a sex worker, the other had been drinking - although she thinks she was slipped something in her drink. I can't imagine how survivors themselves feel about reading these threads.